Combined stool, steps, and tool box



1 2 19 Juy 1 27 A. A. JEANNOTTE COMBINED STOOL, STEPS, AND TOOL BOX Filed July 12. 1926 @w j i W L y.

-INVENTOR.

14/27/1111? A. JDI/VA/flfff.

y? ATTORNEY Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR A. JEANNOTTE, OI NAS HUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

OOIIBIN'ED STOOL, STEPS, AND T061 BOX.

Application fled July 18, 1926. Serial No. 121,794.

Figure 1 is a perspectlve view of they article with its parts in position or condition to enable the article to be used as a stool, one of the side walls of the receptacle or box being illustrated as broken out.

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the lid of the box as raised and the hinged section of the seat member folded back.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts or features in both views.

The article, preferably constructed of wood, comprises four-uprights or legs 12 the lower portions of which are connected by the side walls 13 and the bottom member 14 of a box in which various utensils or tools may be placed and which will be readily accessible by raising the lid or cover 15 the rear edge of which is preferably hinged to the rear wall 13. I

The upper ends of the legs 12 are connected by three strips 16, and at an intermediate elevation are connected by three strips 17. Secured to the latter is a shelf or step member 18 which is of less area from front to rear than the lid 17, to leave ample.

space from its front edge to the front legs to enable it to be used in the manner hereinafter described.

The top or seat member of the device consists of two sections of which the rear section 19 is suitably fixed to the topsv of the legs 12 or to the strips 16, while the other section 20, having a molding strip 21. is connected to the front edge of the section 19 by hinges 22, so that it may be laid back on top of the section 19 as illustrated by Figure 2.

Normally the article will be as illustrated by Figure 1, the lid 15 being readily lifted whenever access is desired to anything in the bottom box. When not lifted the upper surface of its forward area can be used as a tread surface for a persons foot or feet, and sometimes it willnot be necessary to turn the top section 20 back. But when the section 20 is folded back as illustrated by Figure 2 (the lid 15 being closed of course) a person can use the lid 15 for a first step, the member 18 for a second ste and the turned back section 20 for a third step. Ample room is afforded for such successive use of the members 15, 18 and 20, because the fixed section 19 is of so much less area from front I to rear than the member 18, that a person stepping or standin on the member 18 is not likely to have his or her legs contact with the edges of the seat sections 19, 20.

Owing to the fact that when the article is used as a step ladder to reach a high place, the user will stand on the surface of the hinged section which forms the under surface when the article is used as a stool, the surface which is exposed u permost when the article is usable as a stoo can never become worn or unsightly due to the action of shoes or boots. Upon comparing Figures 1 and 2, it will readily be clear that t e surfaces of the sections 19, 20, on which a person may sit, are .entirely protected from wear when the section 20 is turned back to enable the article to be used as a step ladder. Conversion from one use to the other is effected by simply turning the section 20 forward or back. The structure as a whole is simple and of light weight, and never has to be turned around to enable one to sit on it from an of its four sides. This is a particular eature of advantage when located in close quarters such as exist in modern kitchenettes. v

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. An article of furniture comprising a frame provided with a horizontal to at its highest portion accessible from all si ce as a seatmember, a platform below said top and terminating short of the front portion ,of the frame, said top having a fixed portion and a hinged portion, the hinged portion being movable onto said fixed portion to render the bottom surface thereof and said latform accessible as the steps of a step lad er.

2. An article of furniture comprising a frame provided with a horizontal top at its hinged portion, the hinged portion being highest portion accessible from all sides as a movable onto said fixed portion to render the seat member and having a receptacle probottom side thereof and said platform 510- l0 vided with a lid at its bottom, a platform incessible as steps of a step ladder.

6 termediate said top and receptacle and ter- In testimony whereof I have afiixed my minating short of the front portion of the signature. frame, said top having a fixed portion and a ARTHUR A. JEANNOTTE. 

